Hello Jerry & Howard & other friends, Yes, that´s true, I have played the Long Call in 159 performances, the majority in the actual opera, some in "concertante" performances of the "Siegfried" or in concerts with "The Ring without Words" (Long Call & Short Call), others as "encores" after Weber op.45, Strauss no.2 or Gliere (incl. live in TV) or Concertstueck or IHS conventions. Well, it is a difference, to play it in the opera or in a concertante performance, compared with playing it as encore or performing it in a masterclass or an IHS concert. In the opera & the concertante performance one is responsible about the success of the whole thing, means the whole opera & the ensemble involved. In the concertante performance the player steps away from the orchestra & stands alone, visible & carefully watched by the people in the audience. This makes things a bit more exciting, while strong spotlights from the front or strong light beams from behing including all the heat on stage or at the side of the stage create an additional stressy atmosphere. Strange productions with all the movements on stage including senseless actions asked from the singer (releasing a toy chicken to turn around on the stage, audience laughing, sexy ballerinas ...., noise, steam from the dragons cave, etc., people standing around your back), all this adds up to the stress one has to master (Long Call routine helps somewhat).
If I played the Long Call as an encore after a great solo concert with orchestra, well, it was not easier playingwise, but stresswise, as I was only responsible for my own playing, not risking anything for the orchestra. Easiest was it, to play the Long Call in masterclasses or IHS concerts, but not really. One had played less during the time just before, compared to concerts or opera. But hundreds of experts were listening. It became a bit of extreme stress, when Gerd Seifert was sitting in the front row, as in Provo - and it was just 08:00 AM. Or when he was standing on my right side, when I played the Long Call behind the stage - in Rochester. Now to the facts: Gerd Seifert has performed the Long Call 151-times in Siegfried performances, as far as my informations. He performed this great solo at the Bayreuth festival for twenty years. Quite an hero. And he is still playing professionally at age 75+. But there was another player, who beat both of us: Prof.Josef Suttner, who performed his 153rd and last Long Call on March 10, 1941 at the Bavarian State Opera (Munich). All his performances are documented (Prague, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart & Munich). He is the all time champion. Freiberg played the solo 59times & Stiegler 56times, if I recall correctly. While Freiberg used his F-horn, it is said, that Stiegler converted his Pumpenhorn to a single Bb-horn for the Call. I cannot prove that. Regarding fingering: Under embouchure stress (when this video was recorded after a one hour interview session, I did not warm up yet, just grabbing the horn & play), one gets sharp quickly & loses control for some "sharp fingerings" as 12 concert D (a1 on the F-Horn in F-horn writings). So I used "3" instead. The 3rd valve is not involved in the Solo, so it can be adjusted in a perfect way. And the high c3 (F-horn writing, concert f2) played with 23 is compareable to high e3 (concert a2) on the Db-horn or step 20 on the available natural pitches, which is perfect regarding intonation & with a superb amplitude, means sounding superpowerful even stronger than the 16th step on the open F-horn. With my new crook I do not need any alternated fingering. High c3 works super as open note. Kindest greetings Hans ============================================================ ============================================== -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 1:25 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Re: Horn Digest, Vol 48, Issue 5 In a message dated 12/5/2006 3:52:42 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Especially interesting how he uses 3 instead of 12 for the concert D and 23 instead of 0 for the high concert F. The performance is as fine as I would have expected from him. Howard Sanner Hi Howard, My Yamaha Vienna horn likes: Hi C = 23 Hi B = 1 Hi Bb = 23 I think this is fairly standard fingering on Vienna horns. BTW, I believe Hans has played "the call" in concert more than 150 times .... probably more than any other living player. .... maybe Gottfried Freiberg (not living) played more?? Regards, Jerry in Kansas City _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/hans%40pizka. de _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
